Fastener.



J. APLL.

FASTENER. i APPLICATION HLBD MAR.31,19`&3.

1,106,534, Patented g.11,1914.

i,ioaaai.

JACOB APOLL, OFI-IAMMLOND, INDIANA.

, resrnivnn.

To all 107mm, it may concern Be it known that I, JACOB Aromi, a citizen 'i of the United States, andA a resident of Ham` month in the county of L'akea-nd State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Fasteners; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, refer- Vence being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification. j

This invention relates to means for permanent-ly and rigidly j oiningor uniting two wooden members which meet at their edgesV with the edge of one member in abutting re-- lation to the other member, such, for instance, as the two walls of a boxor the like at a corner of the same.

The invention has for one of its objectstov provide a metal fastener of such construc-l tion that the same may be readily andl quickly applied tothe two wooden members `to be joined, and in addition to its function of providing a rigid connection between such members, to stiifen and strengthen the said members at the joint or'corner formed by the united margins of the same.

ln its general features, my invention ein- -braces a metal strip provided with two sets of prongs, the body portion of said strip` being adapted for insertion into a groove formed longitudinally in the end margin of one wall of a box or the like, and the prongs being so disposed that one set of the same have their end portions `driven into the wall .into which the body portion is inserted, to

effect the rigid Aattachment of the strip to said wall, and the `other set may be driven transversely through the other wall, to'effect the joining of said walls.

This invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

ln the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention; Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wooden or like box showing metal fasteners, connecting the side and end walls at the corners of the box, constructed in accordance with my invention; Fin. 2 is a perspective, fragmentary view of a part of one of said metal fasteners; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a flat vbla-nk from which the metal fas-r tener is made; Fig. e is an enlarged fragmentarysectional-view of one wall of the box showing said metal fastener applied to Specification of Letters Patent. Application lefl Marchll, 1913. Serial No. 757,743.

at the corners of the box. `provided with a bottom wall 13` secured to Patented Aug. 11, 161e.

the lateral edge or margin thereof; the dotted lines indicating the position occupied by one set of the prongs of said fastener before `being fdriven into engagement with said wall; Fig. 5is an enlarged'fragmentary sectional view taken on a plane indicated by line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and 6 is a perspective fragmentary view of the side and end walls at one corner of the box, showing the metal fastener applied -to the end wall and the side wall in position just prior to the time` that the same is driven into engage- .inent with one set ofthe prongs of said fastener.

Referring to the drawings, illustrating in detail one of the preferred forms of my invention, the same is shown as applied to a i wooden box 10 for uniting or joining theY sidewalls 11, 11 with the end walls 12, 12 Said box 10 is the vassociated edges of the side and end walls in any suitable manner, but preferably by nails (not shown).

The metal fastener lforming the subjectmatter of the present invention is preferably cut or Astamped 4from a dat vpiece of sheet metal. Said'fastener comprises a body- ,member 14, in the form of a narrow elongated plate or strip, andon one of the longitudinal edges of said body-member 14C is provided two sets of longitudinally spaced integral prongs, 15 indicating the prongs of one set and 16 indicating the prongs of the other set. As shown in the drawings, the

prongs15 of one ,set are'all of the saine` length and are spaced at equal distances apart. Said prongs 15 are in the plane of said body-member and are arranged at right angles to the longitudinal edge of said bodymember 14, from which they` extend.V Said prongs 15 are also provided with pointed ends. The prongs 15 will hereinafter be referred to as the straight prongs.

The prongs 16 of the other set extend from the same edge of said bodymember lil as the straight prongs 15 and are arranged severallybetween or in alternation with the said straight prongs 15, and are also spaced longitudinally at equal distance apart. Said prongs 16 will preferably be made of greater length than the length of the straight prongs the position it occupies in the 'Hat blank, as

' shown in said F ig. 3, so as to form an abrupt bend at its base or point of connection with the margin of said body-member 14, and in such manner'that the base portion 16aV of said'prong extends or projects at substanV tially arright angle to the side face of said body-member.

so as'to form a straight ,partV lo'lg'and its point orend is again bent @teform a straight terminal part 16.V `When`so bent,the several parts ofthe prong lie in a plane at right angles 'to the body-member, as clearly shown in F ig. 2. l`he prongsV 16 willV be lierein afterreferred to as the bent prongs.

- A joint for the corner of a :box or the like,

flnade by the use of a metal fastener of the character described, is constructed as followszln the edge or marginal 'surface 17.

. ofy 'theendwall 12, is formed a groove 18, eX

tending inwardly from said surface with its;

side walls parallel with the side faces of said end wall.V Usually such groove 18 will eX# tend the entire length of such edge 17 ofthe@ end wall L2.V The groove 18 is of a depth equjal to the width ofthe body-member 14 A-of-the fastener. Said body-member :or strip 14 is inserted or seated in said-groove 18 Vwith its longitudinal edge opposite to that on-which the prongs 15 and 16are for1ned,'

at Vthe bottom of said groove. By reason of the fact that the depth'of the groove 18 is as hereinbefore stated, the longitudinal 'edge length ofsaid groove'18. lVhen the bodymember 14 is located in said groove"18,jthe

straight prongs 15 project outwardly from A and. substantially'. atv right anglesY tofthe groovedV edge 17 of'said. end wall. The base section '16?. of each bentV prong lGismade equal in length to the space betweenfthe vgroove ,18' and the inner face of the 'end wall 12,V so. that said base Vsection'la will 'restV against the Vsurface ofthe edge 17 of saidVV end wall 12, while'the intermediate sections Y 16b-and'-pointed sections 1Gc extend overorV y overlap theiinner face of'said end wall, and

will 'extend inwardly from said grooved. edge- Y17 with VVtheir points out 'ofjcon "tact Y with'` the inner face of saidk end wall.; The position occupiedV by the bent prongsV `16 atfthis vtime is shown 'in dott-ed lines, in 4; '-tli`e ,pointedY ends `of fthe bent prongs16'bein-g spaced from the bodyinember'14 a sufficient distance topermit u said pointed ends fto passY over the Vsaid i inner face ofthe wall when the'body-mem-V V l ber 14 is inserted into said grooveS The end portions 16 of the bent prongs lG-fare Thes'aid prong 16 is again bent at arpoint at a distance from 1ts bas`ey now v forcedV toward the'end so as toV bend the intermediate'sectionslb inwardly andV to drive the pointed ends ofthe terminal Y portions 16c into said end wall, while bringing said Vintermediate sections 1Gb against 70g vthe inner face ofthe same. 'By reason ofthe length of said bent prongs'16,fas hereinbe'- fore mentioned, the pointed end portions 16 thereof enter the end'wall at a di stance"rea'r f wardly of the body-member 14,V as shown Vin full `lines in said Fig. 4 andin Fig. Thefjl side wall11 of the boXis' now p lajce'dvin fr, 1 proper position Aagainst the pointed Sends of'. Y i

the straight prongs 15, andthe latter are driven through'the said side wall 1 1Vby forc- 80 ing said side wall 11 'toward and into con# j 'tact with the grooved edge 17 of saide'ndwall 12.v Owing to the Vfact that said f :straight prongs 15 are longerthan the thiekness'of said side :wall 11, the V pointed ends 85V Y of said straight prongs'l5 project slightly 'beyond the `exterior -face of said side wall 11, i

and are finally bent backor V'clenched against said side wall. The base sections 16a of the?V L :prongs l'become, when the side wall 11 isY 90 ,driven into contact with the end wall 12, `embedded in saidside wall', as shown in .Fig 5.

I hilev vI liavelsho'wn andV describedV but' 51d;

one form -of my metal fastener, `it is to be Q5 lunderstood thefsame may be variously modi- V "fied in its details of-lconstructionwithoutv Adeparting from the-spirit of my invention,

and Ido not, therefore, desire to be limited'f- :to the construction illustratedjonly in Yso I0()V far as vit is' pointed out in the appended L claims, Y f

bers, ametal fastener'for uniting saidmem 105 bers, comprising Ya body member provided with two sets of jprongsgfthe prongsof one'` set being inserted in one 'of saicbwoodenmembers while the prongs ofthe other setrv 153 engage the other. o said woodenfmembers V1 10 Vandmliave their end'.portions'inserted'into;YAY 'said' .last mentioned wooden member withjf'` such V end portions "disposed,transverselyf" with rel'ationto, and Ydirectedtoward,the` planefof said body member, for jsecuring 115 i Vsaid body member to'V lasgfmentioned i Vwooden mer'nber. Y, Y Y 2.V I'nconibi'nation `with two iwood'eIfl memters, One-0f whichis'pfaviaeawahamargi-l-fi1 -L 1 nal groove, a' metal fastener for uniting. said 120 memberscomprising a`bodymember located in said groove and providedfwith'two setsYAY Y' of prongs; the prongs ofgone set having 'their ends bent andinserted 'into the'groo'ved member in a directiongtowajrd saidV bodymember Vtopliold. the latterin engag'errrentfV with said grooved'nieniben andftheprongs` f offthe other set bein@ inserted 'into the other 'of Saidiwooden mem ers. ,j

-.f'l'ncombination with two ivoodenrmem 130 i f bers, one of which is provided with a marginal groove, a metal'fastener comprising a body-member seated in said groove, said body member being provided with two sets of prongs, one set of which are bent and driven into and at'the rear of the edge of said grooved member, and the other set of said prongs being inserted into the other of said wooden members. i

4:. ln combination With two wooden members, one of which is provided with a marginal groove, a metal fastener comprising a body-member seated in said groove, said body member being provided with two sets of prongs, one set or' which are bent baclr wardly and driven into the grooved member and the other set extending through and having their pointed ends clenched against the other member.

5. A metal fastener comiprising a liat elongated body-member provided on one of its side edges with two sets of laterally extending prongs arranged with the prongs of one set in alternation with the prongs of the other set; the prongs of one set being in the plane of the body member and substantially straight, and the prongs of the other set being bent in planes perpendicular to the body member with their ends directed toward the plane of said body-member- 6. A metal fastener, comprising a flat elongated body-member provided on one of its side edges with two sets of laterally eX- tending prongs, the prongs of one set being longer than the prongs of the other set and arranged with the prongs of one set in alternation with the prongs of said other set;

the prongs of one set being in the same i plane with each other and substantially straight, and theprongs of the other set being bent in planes perpendicular to said body-,memben Y In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

J ACOB APOLL.

Witnesses:

- MAX HELPER,

JOHN MALoY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

